Tag Archives: Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel finally launched its 40 Mbps broadband services in Hyderabad, India. Bharti Airtel is the first operator in the city to launch broadband services on VDSL (Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line) technology. VDSL is said to be the newest and most advanced standard of Broadband wireline communications. Airtel is currently offering two plans for its subscribers who wish to experience the 40 Mbps high-speed internet.

The first plan is called as “Ultrasonic 3299″ and it offers 100 GB of data usage as well as 1000 free voice minutes. It comes with a monthly price of Rs.3299. The second plan is called as “Ultrasonic 3999″ and it offers 200 GB of data usage along with 2000 free voice minutes. The Ultrasonic 3999 plan is available for a monthly price of Rs.3999.

Both the plans offers a speed of 40 Mpbs and the speed will be reduced to just 512 kbps as soon as you reach the monthly limit. Airtel also offers additional free Value Added Services (VAS) like Parallel Ringing, PC Secure (Anti-Virus software), Unlimited Gaming through Games on Demand, LearnNext and much more. To use these services, Airtel subscribers will need to purchase the Beetel’s VDSL Wi-Fi modem priced at Rs 3,099.

Sharlin Thayil, CEO – Andhra Pradesh, Bharti Airtel, said,
“We are delighted to introduce 40 Mbps speed – the fastest wireline broadband service on next generation VDSL technology. The all new Ultrasonic 40Mbps plans on Airtel offers the fastest Broadband speed available for customers and will allow data savvy customers to upgrade from the now prevalent 16Mbps speeds they have enjoyed thus far. This plan will allow customers the convenience to download movies in a few minutes, upload photos and videos instantly and lots more.”

We have good news for the folks living in Pune. Earlier this year, Airtel rolled out its 4G services in Kolkata followed by Bengaluru. Now, Airtel went a step ahead and launched the much-awaited 4G services in Pune. Airtel is also the first company in Maharashtra to bring the 4G experience for its customers. Currently, Airtel 4G services are exclusively available for the post-paid customers, however the company has promised that pre-paid subscribers will be able to join the bandwagon in the coming days.

Mr. K Srinivas, President – Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel said,
“Today, we are excited to launch Maharashtra’s first 4G experience for Airtel customers in Pune. The response received by Airtel 4G services in Kolkata and Bengaluru has been compelling – thus reinforcing our long term focus on delivering technologies to fulfil the needs of India’s rapidly growing data evolution story. With both home and office users opting for 4G services, it is heartening to see early adopters of this technology acknowledge the experience that Airtel 4G delivers – for everything from streaming videos and downloading music, to accessing business applications, email and rich multimedia content. We are optimistic about the traction that 4G will see in months to come and look forward to rolling out our services in other circles soon”.

In 2010, Airtel had successfully bid for BWA license spectrum in Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) circles. Additionally, Airtel acquired 49 percent interest in Qualcomm AP’s India entities that hold BWA licenses in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala. The company has already launched its 4G LTE services in Kolkata, Bengaluru and Maharashtra (Pune) and is currently working towards rolling out the 4G network in remaining licence circles.

Airtel customers in Pune can check the availability of Airtel 4G services in their area online through the Google Maps interface and buy the services online. Airtel’s 4G services allows the users to access High Definition (HD) videos, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos, rich content and much more. The postpaid plans in Pune are similar to the plans available in Kolkata and Bengaluru circles. Airtel offers 3 different 4G plans starting at Rs.999 for 6 GB of free data, going up to Rs.1,999 for 18 GB of free data usage.

Last year, Airtel finally launched the much-awaited 3G services in India. The company has won 3G license for 13 telecom circles in India including Mumbai, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (West), Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, North East, Jammu & Kashmir. The 3G plans announced by Airtel and other operators were costly and not affordable of most of us. Soon after the launch of 4G services in India, Airtel went ahead and slashed 3G data plan rates by up to 70%.

Earlier, the subscribers would have to shell out Rs.201, Rs.450 and Rs.750 for 250 MB, 600 MB and 2 GB of data respectively. Now, the customers will have to pay just Rs.100, Rs.250 and Rs.450 for 300 MB, 1GB and 2GB of data respectively. Airtel has also launched a new 3G plan for heavy data subscribers, which allows then to download 10 GB of data for just Rs.1500. The new Airtel 3G packs are now available for both pre-paid and post-paid customers across circles using phones as well as dongles. Check out the complete tariff below.

These 3G data plans comes with a validity of 30 days. However, Airtel pre-paid customers can opt for a weekly data plan, which gives you 150 MB of data for just Rs.45 with a validity of 7 days. Airtel has also announced the new Smartbytes for 3G, which allows the customers to continue enjoying the 3G experience even after exhausting their monthly data limits using the add-on packs. Sadly, the Smartbytes is currently available only for the post-paid customers.

Last year, Airtel launched its 3G services in India. Now, within a year, the company went ahead and launched the India’s first 4G service. Tata Docomo was the first private operator to launch its 3G services in India. However, this year Airtel became the first private operator to launch its 4G services. Airtel’s 4G services are currently available only for the subscribers living in the Kolkata circle.

Airtel’s 4G (TD-LTE) network was launched by Mr. Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India. With this launch, India joins the most advanced telecom markets in the world and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s telecom success story.

“Today’s launch is a major milestone for India and Airtel. Over the past 15 years Airtel has been at the forefront of India’s telecom revolution and has set the technology trends in India by aligning with the global standards. We are delighted to now provide leadership in setting the technology standard for 4G services in India by introducing the cutting edge TD-LTE. We are confident that others will follow in this direction and participate in our pioneering effort of making TD-LTE the defacto 4G standard in India.”

Back in 2010, Airtel won BWA license spectrum in Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) circles. The operator is currently working towards rolling out the 4G LTE services in circles other than Kolkata. Airtel is also one of the founding members of the Global TD-LTE Initiative (GTI) which was launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011.

Airtel 4G offers rich content along with superfast access to High Definition (HD) videos, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos and so on. Currently, Airtel offers 3 different 4G plans starting at Rs.999 for 6 GB of free data, going up to Rs.1,999 for 18 GB of free data usage. The company is expected to launch its 4G services in Bengaluru by the end of Q2 of 2012. Stay tuned for more updates!

Last week, Reliance Communications launched its entry-level tablet in India for just Rs.12,999. Now, Beetel, a part of the Bharti Group, has joined the bandwagon. Last month, we posted that Beetel, will soon launch its Android powered tablet in India. And, within a month, the company went ahead and launched the affordable Beetel Magiq tablet. This device runs on the Android 2.2 (Froyo) Operating System and it comes with a 7 inch touchscreen display, 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, etc.

Mr. Vinod Sawhny Executive Director & CEO, Beetel Teletech, said, The Beetel Magiq Tablet has been designed looking at the technology needs of the extremely demanding Indian customers. Our tablet is not only about affordability but also about aspirational features which were previously available in the high-end devices and not within the reach of the majority of Indian customers. With Beetel Magiq Indian customers can access their dream world to support their professional as well as their entertainment needs.

Beetel Magiq Specifications:

7 inch touchscreen display

800 x 480 pixel resolution

1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor

Android 2.2 (Froyo) Operating System

Custom UI

Wi-Fi b/g/n

GSM calling support

2 megapixel rear camera

VGA front camera for video calling

3.5 mm audio jack

8 GB Internal memory

3G Connectivity

Bluetooth

USB connector

2200 mAh battery

The Beetel Magiq tablet comes with a price-tag of Rs.9,999 (approx. $220). This tablet is Rs.3000 cheaper, compared to the Reliance tablet, but it runs on the old Android Froyo OS. The company also announced that, the Beetel Magiq will be soon upgraded to the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS. It also comes with a 1 year manufacturer warranty.

Since the Beetel and Airtel are the part of the Bharti Group, customers will get a free Airtel pre-paid or postpaid connection with the purchase of this tablet. Customers will also get 2 GB of 3G data for 2 months. This tablet will soon hit the Indian market. Stay tuned for more updates!

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ramesh Menon, CEO Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel said, With the launch of Airtel 3G services for our 1.15 crore plus mobile customers across Maharashtra and Goa, we are all set to empower these states with high speed capabilities that will bring them closer to an all new world of possibilities. With a commitment towards delivering an unmatched service and network experience, we look forward to delighting our 3G customers with a host of innovative capabilities including Mobile TV, video calls, video streaming and social networking on-the-go

Airtel does not have the 3G licesnse in Maharashtra and Goa circle. Airtel has mutually signed an Intra Circle Roaming Agreement (ICRA) with private operators such as Idea and Vodafone. Airtel will offer 3G services to its customers in this circle by using the Idea’s 3G services. Airtel 3G services are currently available across all major parts in the region including Pune, Nashik city, Nagpur city & Goa state.

Airtel 3G subscribers in Maharashtra and Goa circle can access multimedia services, high speed mobile broadband, videos on phone, live TV, video calls, etc. You can also enjoy popular Bollywood and regional movies, with the help of Video Talkies portal on Airtel 3G. To learn more about Airtel 3G plans, head over to this page. If you have any queries, then call 12134 (toll free). To activate 3G services, SMS 3G’ to 121.

Back in March, Airtel launched its 3G services in India. Airtel has won 3G license for 13 telecom circles in India Mumbai, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (West), Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, North East, Jammu & Kashmir. Airtel has already launched its 3G services in most of the telecom circle, but it has failed to launch 3G in all the circle. Now, Airtel went a step ahead and launched its 3G services in India.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Rajiv Rajgopal, CEO Kerala & Tamil Nadu, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel said, With the highest Human Development Index and literacy rate in India, Kerala is indeed well poised to represent the strong growth and development being observed by our country today. Following the deep penetration of voice telephony across urban and rural India, the introduction of 3G services in the country marks the next wave of telecom revolution , one that will offer a world class data services experience on the mobile device. Today, we are truly excited to bring the Airtel 3G promise for our customers in Kerala. We believe that Airtel 3G will lead the data and internet revolution in Kerala, bringing our customers in this part of the state closer to an all new world of possibilities.

In the first phase of rollout, Airtel 3G services will be currently available in major cities including Kochi, Trivandrum and Calicut. The company will soon roll out 3G in other major parts of the state. Airtel customers in Kerala can enjoy multimedia services, high speed mobile broadband, videos on phone, live TV, video calls and much more.

Airtel 3G customers can also enjoy popular Bollywood and regional movies (including Malayalam) on their mobile phones, thanks to the Airtel’s Video Talkies portal. Airtel 3G comes with the Mobile TV, which allows you to watch more than 100 live channels on the go. To learn more about Airtel 3G plans, head over to this page.

Bharti Airtel today dived into the global telecom market by completing the acquisition of Zain Group’s mobile operations in 15 countries across Africa for a total enterprise valuation of $10.7 billion.

With this acquisition Airtel has become the first Indian telecom brand to have a global presence with a footprint of 1.8 billion people. It also became a major MNC with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa with a customer base of 180 million users.

With the acquisition of Zain Group, Airtel has:

Completed the largest ever cross- border deal in emerging markets.

Entered a league of five largest mobile operators in the world.

Became a leading Indian MNC with operations in 18 countries with a footprint covering 1.8 billion people

Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti said, We are delighted at the closure of this transformational deal for India and Bharti. We would like to express our deep gratitude and thank the governments of all the fifteen countries as well as the government of India for their overwhelming support to this landmark event. This will further strengthen the historic Indo-Africa economic & social ties and provide a big boost to South-South cooperation."

Mr. Asaad Al-Banwan, Chairman, Zain, said We wholeheartedly wish Bharti Airtel great success in continuing the development of telecommunications across the African continent, and we are confident that the people of Africa will welcome such a committed and reputable telecom powerhouse.

Airtel has no doubt been the biggest player in the Indian market, and with this acquisition they will also take over mobile service operations in 15 countries with a total customer base of over 42 million.

India is always seen as a emerging market for the telecom industry, however, with over 450 million telecom penetration, Africa also give Airtel a good chance to increase their user base.

For more information and details about the Airtel and Zain Group deal, visit this press release.

Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of Free Unlimited Night Call Facility for its landline users. The subscribers can now make unlimited free local and STD calls from 11.00 pm to 6.00 am. The offer is valid throughout India only in the month of May-2010. However, the offer goes true only when the customer calls from Airtel fixed lines to other Airtel landline users only.

Airtel is offering Unlimited Night Call facility as a promotional offer and it gets automatically activated. Therefore, the customers need not wander here and there. Just sit, relax and make utmost use of it.

As one of the country’s leading fixed line service providers, we are committed to offering our customers opportunities that makes them cherish their calling experience on Airtel. Our Unlimited Sundays offer received a great response and this is our way of enabling customers to continue enjoying the benefits of being on Airtel.

If you have to frequently travel overseas, you will love the next bit of info. Airtel has announced a new World SIM for international travellers, which will significantly slash roaming charges.

Currently, a one-minute incoming call in the US costs Rs. 100, while a one-minute outgoing call from the US costs Rs. 150. With World SIM, you will have to pay only Rs. 10 and Rs. 41 respectively for the same services.

The benefit of World SIM over international calling cards (like the ones offered by Matrix) is that you are able to retain your original phone number. For the subscribers of Airtel World SIM, the same SIM will work in all the country,said Shireesh Joshi, director â€” marketing (mobile services), Bharti Airtel.Airtel World SIM will cost Rs. 500. If it takes off, expect similar services from other telecom operators.